Rupert Murdoch has decided that the video games industry is pretty lucrative and is considering an acquisition. Speaking on behalf of News Corporation at a US investment conference, Peter Chernin said that they were, “…kicking the tyres of pretty much all video games companies.” He mentioned Electronic Arts (EA) and Activision, but also that there is a clear divide between the massive EA and everyone else and that everyone is under consideration. It was also mentioned that News Corp was not the only media company considering entering the video games business. Mr. Murdoch has enough money and clout to acquire whoever he wants. EA would be an expensive investment and the company is probably thinking a large publisher in the pile beneath EA is the best option. As well as a publisher, a number of games development companies would also be a wise investment. Lionhead for example has just acquired venture capital, is a growing company and has a very good track record so they could be on the list along with many others. Thanks to gamesindustry.biz for the heads-up.

USER COMMENTS 71 comment(s)

Rupert Murdoch's(8:57am EST Fri Jan 14 2005)ultimate goal is to rule the world. He is the emperor. – by Pontiac Fiero

yeah ok go ahead its your money(9:16am EST Fri Jan 14 2005)Some game companies make money and some dont. Developing games for console's is very expensive and there are rules and guidelines that you have to follow thats set by the makers of the console. Huh this guy better go for pc gaming, thats where the money is. – by bla

Rupert Murdoch can rot in Hell(9:18am EST Fri Jan 14 2005)Last time I checked, “news” was supposed to be journalism, not a corporate commodity. Oh well, he's got four more years of unchecked sprawl, he might as well go for it. – by Faux News

Tyres?(10:44am EST Fri Jan 14 2005)What exactly are you doing when you are kicking the TYRES anyway? :) – by VAD

Is he…(10:46am EST Fri Jan 14 2005)

A brother or cousin for Bill Gates by the chance? cuz both of them want to acquire the universe

– by Marco Albertini

NEW GAMES WOULD COME(11:38am EST Fri Jan 14 2005)Let's see the first one could be called BushWorld where the media is totally controlled and the sheep (Americans) are lead around and sheared. Wait a minute that real life today in America, never mind. – by GAME OVER

Liberals are Lemmings(12:39pm EST Fri Jan 14 2005)I bet if Shawn Penn and Michael Moore jumped off a cliff, half the idiots who voted for Kerry would jump too. Man, I wish they would jump, life would be good. – by I hate Liberals

I hate Liberals(1:27pm EST Fri Jan 14 2005)Jumping off a cliff is almost preferable to a conservitive lead America. Thank god I live in Canada where party with the most power is the “Liberal Party of Canada”

Rupert Murdoch should back off, ruling the world is Bill Gates thing. – by Karmek

re: by I hate Liberals(1:28pm EST Fri Jan 14 2005)I wish the same thing… life would be so much better if there were no such thing as a bleeding heart liberal.

heck, here in LA, the video game companies are the only people with more money than the movie people (except the realestate people).

also, for good or for ill, games are useful tools for mental conditioning. since he (with roger ailes) already has the propaganda network, and the entertainment (more subtle propaganda) empire, why not games? – by sim

JJ(1:48pm EST Fri Jan 14 2005)In a since you are absoultely right, not the generalization that liberal thinkers are bad but the world would be better off without the extreme left, just as it would be better off without the extreme right. So why dont you get in a car with Michael Moore, drive off a cliff and do the world some good. – by Mike

Liberals live to complain(4:14pm EST Fri Jan 14 2005)Two options in my opinion, liberals can either stop complaining about everything all the time and pretending that Bush is evil and so is america, or they can move to canada, that shit hole of a nation could obviously use some more jack ass's, they seem to like being a little turd of a country right next the most powerful nation in the world. – by mxHalo

bla and bla liberals extremist(7:08pm EST Fri Jan 14 2005)Those liberal americans that want to get out of U.S cause they think bush is going to destroy it should go and live in saudi arabia or pakistan and see how hard life is for alot of ppl overthere. no freedom.– by bla

Whoa Nelly(12:55am EST Sat Jan 15 2005)when did bush become America? The facsist stands against every thing that makes America geeat, and when did it become un-American to crtiize a government that can't stop lying, spending money like a drunen salior and murdering loads of innocent people. – by Ben is the man

Xbox 2 & PS3 announce higher game prices(1:54am EST Sat Jan 15 2005)didnt anyone read about the $65-70 games of the new game consoles?

He wants to cash in on the higher prices, as well as the ever lucrative pay to play games as well. – by Monopoly

Be constructive(7:40am EST Sat Jan 15 2005)You guys with the negative feedback are noobs. Murdoch is for one contemplating for one. Put yourself in his position, wouldn't you want to own or further investment for his company/shareholder/employees. Man… when some one in power buys more we get all the b&*t@hes come out of the wood work.– by Sarge

re: bla and bla liberals extremist(10:18pm EST Mon Jan 17 2005)I always have a good laugh when someone uses this kind of 'argument' … the 'why don't you just go and live in russia' kind of argument, if anyone says anything that they don't like. People are entitled to express their disatisfaction with any country – and one way might be to say that they are going to leave the U.S. It doesn't mean that they are going to. It's not really very imaginative to re-gurgiate the status-quo and think that everything is fine – what's wrong with wanting to improve the place that you live in … ? I hate to burst other posters bubbles too, but nobody is going to follow Michael Moore off a cliff if he ever decides to jump off one. Now you won't be disappointed when it doesn't happen … – by LMAO